Jan 20 , 2019 Rock & Roll Marathon Race Day !

Jan 20
Today is the day!! It's race day and my first road Half Marathon so I am a little nervous and excited all at once. I feel confident I will be faster than the trail run in Golden but not real sure how fast. Barry is running with me today and that is huge. He's been at this stuff for a long time now and this will be a cruise for him. He will pace me so I can get the best time possible. Thanks Barry for changing to the half!
I had an alarm set for 5am but I was awake at 4:30. I stayed in bed and just kind of ran things in my head until 5:00 and then got up to get some coffee and food into me. Of course with me getting up and moving around that means Leslie and Derek are awake too.  We all got through the morning routine and I had a good breakfast so it's time to go. Barry, Ailsa & Kathryn are ahead of us so they can have a good warm up prior to the race. I had the truck GPS ready to take me to the start line so Leslie and I took the truck and Derek will meet us there in his car. He's grabbing a hotel tonight closer to the airport for an early flight home. Parking was of course at a premium in Tempe so I had to jump out and let Leslie park the truck somewhere while I walked to the start. Not easy to park a dually down there, thanks Les. I met up with Barry at our start marker #14. There are thousands of people lined up here waiting to start. Leslie & Derek found us too. Awesome... we're all here. Ailsa and Kathryn are way up front somewhere.

Barry & me, ready to run!

Our crew! Leslie & Derek.

The race started at 7:50 but we are in #14 "corral" and won't start for a while. We just slowly walk forward as they let others go.

Looking behind us.

Looking ahead to the start.

Moving ahead slowly.

It took almost 45 minutes but we crossed the start line and started at a slow jog. Barry didn't need to pace us here, we're moving slow in the crowd anyway. Pretty pumped and ready to get moving though. Had more time for selfie's.

A running pic.

While Barry & I are running, Leslie & Derek found a coffee place and started heading to the finish line a few blocks over. Leslie got a text from the gang from High Chaparral that they were here already! I can't believe they are here so early and it is so awesome that they came to see the race at all. Thanks so much you guys. It was great knowing we have all the support! Leslie and Derek met up with them and now all they can do is wait.

Shelley, Leslie, Lynn, Connie. Randy & Luckie behind them to the left.

Kathryn was running the 10k as a warmup for an upcoming marathon and she blazed through the run and finished in 39:49 minutes!! She finished as the third place female in the 10k. Awesome run Kathryn!

Barry & I are having a great time and running pretty good. He's doing the timing and I'm not even looking at my watch. The bands along the race are fun and he had to remind me to slow down as we went through the band area. You just naturally speed up a little.

Barry and one of the bands in the background.

A small hill and a drum band behind me, I'm running backwards for the pic.

While we are still out there running the gang at the finish line got to cheer as Ailsa crossed the line in 1:21:29. She ran the half also as a warmup for a 50k trail run in early February. Ailsa and Kathryn are in another league from me obviously. I trained to be able to run a half and they are warming up with a half haha!

Ailsa cruising to the finish.

Leslie caught up with Ailsa and she joined the group at the finish line waiting for Barry and I. Kathryn went for another jog (15k) after her 10k. See what I mean about another (crazy) league! 

Ailsa, Shelley, Luckie, Lynn, Randy & Derek looking at the camera.

I did pretty good on the run and with Barry pacing me we are on track for a great time, I know that much. The bands along the course were really good, some metal and a cool blues band were some of my faves. Around 15 - 16 km's in I started getting a cramp type pain in my left leg, I'm thinking from the calf strain earlier. Barry was great though with his encouragement, "It's only pain, forget about it and think of the finish." or "You're just hurting not hurt. Suck it up and let's go" I really liked that one lol. I had to walk a few times which slowed us down but we soon got to the downhill to the finish line. There was a long line of military folks cheering and high fiving the runners which was really cool. The police all along the run were high fiving and encouraging us and all the volunteers would read your bib and encourage you by name. I was really happy to be close to the finish. My left leg is lightly cramping to my butt. It didn't mean a thing as we got close to the line and I started looking for the crew. Awesome, awesome feeling with all the people at the finish cheering and waving.

Getting close ! Leg doesn't hurt now.

I spotted the crew! Coming in for high fives!

A handshake with Barry at the finish. Thanks buddy for pacing me!

My chip time!! Thanks to Barry Green.

It's hard to describe the feeling at the line. It's fantastic though. Seeing the whole gang cheering and waving was so cool. How awesome is it that they came all the way from Casa Grande? And Derek flying down from Edmonton on the same weekend as my race to encourage me. Thank you buddy! That's not a cheap date haha. Barry and Ailsa always encouraging me and giving me tons of free advice to make it a ton of fun and less painful. I learned a lot of little things from Barry on that run that will help me next time..... well maybe next time... probably next time lol. 

Of course I can't say enough about Leslie and all the help and support she gives me when I try this stuff. The encouragement and support and food and the extra stuff she does all the time. Love you baby and thank you!!

Now that we're done we get free beer! I grabbed some of the free food at the finish like a banana, chips and a granola bar. I was starving. I drank a gatorade and a bottle of water before a beer which is definitely a good idea. With a little stretching and resting my leg cramp was way better and we chatted with everybody and waited for the Plain White Tee's to play their show. A great day in the sun.

Barry, Derek, me, Leslie & Ailsa. (Kathryn still running)

Cowboy (aka Randy) me & Leslie (rubbing my butt cramp...lol)

The Chaparral gang. Randy, Shelley, me, Lynn, Leslie & Luckie.

Where's Dave & Connie?? Watching the band!!

Plain White Tee's playing at the finish.

What a fantastic day for me! I watched the band for a bit and then just got plain ol' tired. The crew from Chaparral had left to get some food because they had been there so long. Thanks again guys!

Barry & Ailsa had some friends from their work joining them so they were going out for lunch. I am done for today and I want to shower and lay down. Leslie, Derek & I walked back to our vehicles together and then we said good bye to Derek. Thanks so much buddy for coming down and everything you so generously paid for while you were here. Luv ya pal!

Leslie drove us back to Pioneer RV after the long walk back to the truck. I forgot about the distance from the finish line to the start line and where we parked. It was nice to sit down in the truck. When we got back I headed straight for the shower. Again Leslie was so awesome and ordered takeout from Tennessee Grill Fantastic burgers, then went and picked them up so I can eat after my shower. See what I mean?? She's the best. The rest of our day was pretty mellow. I laid on the couch and texted a few people and tried to answer the many great comments on Leslie's Facebook page. So much support. I'm a pretty lucky fella I have to say. 

Thank you so much to everybody for all the help and support. I am very happy with my time and likely won't try another race until we are back home. Now I can play pickleball again without worrying about injuries and look forward to the rest of our winter in Arizona. Cheers everybody !